USA/Canada Region

Nazarenes in the News is a compilation of online news articles featuring Nazarene churches or church members.

Oklahoma church recognized as Non-profit of the Year
Miami, Oklahoma

(The Miami News-Record, February 16) New Life Church of the Nazarene's Casey Hollingsworth fulfilled his life's calling by becoming a pastor. He has been a pastor for a total 14 years and has spent eight years as a pastor at New Life Church of the Nazarene in Miami.

"I've been pastor here for about eight years," Hollingsworth said. "We merged with New Life Church of the Nazarene in Miami eight years ago. I was previously a pastor at a church in Picher called Picher Church of the Nazarene. We came together, formed a new church and came up with a new name."

Hollingsworth said he couldn't imagine doing anything else. He was heavily influenced by youth pastors while growing up in a church. He said God spoke to him one day and told him to be in the ministry.

"My youth pastors taught me what being a Christian is all about," Hollingsworth said. "They impacted me and changed my life. I thought I would do that for the lives of others. Just being around and raised in the church, it was like God was preparing me for the life of service within the church. It’s about being a part of something bigger than yourself."

For the rest of the story, click here.


NNU film students build subway as professor brings Hollywood to Nampa
Nampa, Idaho

(Idaho Press-Tribune, February 18) Northwest Nazarene University students filed down the stairs to the Wiley Street Subway Station on Tuesday and in and out of a waiting subway car. They grabbed open seats, and those left standing reached onto handholds.

The scene looked like something commuters would find in a large city, not exactly the type of thing stored in a university basement in Nampa — and that’s exactly what the students were going for.

The university's film students spent about five months constructing the Wiley Street Station, inside the Wiley Learning Center, as the set for a short film. The film, "700 Volts," is about an aging station attendant, an accident on the tracks, a boy who witnesses it and the effects of social media. It's expected to be finished in May.

For the rest of the story, click here.


ENC cancels classes during record-breaking snowstorms
Quincy, Massachusetts

(ENC.edu) Eastern Nazarene College canceled classes three days this month during record-breaking snowstorms. 

The Boston area broke its record for the most snow in a 7-day timeframe on February 2 with 34.2 inches. The following week, the 30-day record was broken with 71 inches of snow in only 17 days.

For photos of the campus following the snowstorms, click here.


Kansas church continues renewal with 3 church plants
Chanute, Kansas

(NCN News submissions) Sunday attendance had declined to about 60 people per week at Chanute, Kansas, Church of the Nazarene when leaders decided to begin a renewal process in March 2014. Nearly a year later, the renewal process is continuing through three new church plants. 

The church now averages 300 people per week.

For the rest of the story, click here.


Pennsylvania church hosts fundraisers for coffee shop
Chambersburg, Pennsylvania

(Chambersburg Public Opinion, February 15) Some 15 years ago Joe Thomas, associate pastor of Mosaic Church of the Nazarene, Chambersburg, had an idea: He wanted to start a coffeehouse where everyone who came would feel comfortable, welcome and willing to return something to the community.

He tried it out at one church and then, after moving to Chambersburg, tried again. The only problem, according to his wife, Stacy, was that the sites were never permanent.

"We always had to set up everything and then tear it all down," she said.

Fortune now seems to be smiling on the couple. They are organizing a Victorian-era Civil War ball, to take place Feb. 21 as a major fundraiser to finance their dream of a nonprofit coffeehouse to be called The Local Gathering.

For the rest of the story, click here.


New York pastor chosen for Harvard leadership institute
Far Rockaway, New York

(NCN News submissions) Les Mullings, senior pastor of Far Rockaway Community Church of the Nazarene on the Metro New York District, was selected to participate in the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Leadership Institute.

Mullings was chosen from among hundreds of applicants because of the influence the Far Rockaway Community church has had in the inner city through networking with local leaders and government officials, beginning the Challenge Prep charter school, and for his efforts to aid his community in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, which devastated Far Rockaway and the surrounding coastal areas.

He said he has been given an opportunity to bring the reality of a true urban education endeavor to the table and believes his dedication to education will expand his capacity to bring learning to every classroom and child in his community.


Stories to share? Send them to submitnews@ncnnews.com.

--Compiled by NCN News